आमुक्तमाल्यदा (विजयनगर सम्राट् श्रीकृष्णदेवराय - गोदा देवी आण्डाल भक्ति एवं साम्राज्य-नीति)

38 Goda's Garland of Devotion
ornamenting her tresses with some of them. For a while she would
watch her reflection in the waters of the lake. Satisfied, she would
then replace the garlands in Vishnuchitta's basket.
It is not surprising that this 'misdemeanour' went undiscovered
for quite some time, though Vishnuchitta was an expert garland-
maker and would have noted any disturbance or crumpling up of
the blossoms. Since Goda Devi was no ordinary human being but
an incarnation of Nappinnai, flowers did not fade when worn by
her.
So the drama goes on in Āmukta Mālyada. Goda Devi bathes
after rubbing turmeric all over her body. She wears washed clothes,
and decorates herself with Kasturi paste. Then she puts on the gar-
lands prepared for Vatapatrasayi. Taking them off after a while
she sighs deeply and tells her friends plaintively:
"My friends! I wonder at your songs praising Hari's
deeds. Which girl who has fallen in love with Him has been
saved by Krishna? Better He is incarnate in every yuga as a
fish, a tortoise, a boar and a lion than take a human form as
Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, and Buddha and torture
innocent women. There were no women during the other
incarnations. Even if there were, the natural enmity between
humans and animals would have kept them apart. This (pro-
blem of falling in love with the Divine) would not have occurr-
ed."
And she continues:
"It is no untruth that the creation is one's personal handi-
work. After all, we can lessen somewhat the pangs of separa-
tion by conversation with the like-minded, and music and
dance. What can the poor animals do, for they cannot even
talk!
In the ages past this same Srihari had made his beloved
gopikas shed tears and suffer tingling of the skin due to in-
tense emotion. This was truly a sin. He had to suffer the
effects of these sins by moving in waters (as fish and tortoise)
and going about with stiff bristles (as a boar and a lion). As
for his activities as Vamana, Parasurama and Rama, giving
endless pain to women, O friends, hear me speak.